2026 Social Sciences Early Career Investigators Awards Announced
Hope Professor Lauren Slone and 10 research students she mentored were honored with Hope’s 2026 Social Sciences Early Career Investigators Award.
Lindsey Root Luna — dean of social sciences at Hope — shared the good news with Dr. Slone, assistant professor of psychology, for the group project, “Learners Choose Differently: How Self-Made Study Schedules and Difficulty Impact Learning and Retention.”
A panel of Hope’s social science faculty selected their project after it was presented during Hope’s 25th annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (CURCA) on April 17. Slone’s student presentation was among 195 research projects showcased by 363 Hope students, who conducted the work with 105 faculty mentors at Hope and off campus. One of the rating criteria considered by the panel was the likelihood that the research could lead to publication.
The 10 students behind this award-winning project are: Brooke Seymour ’26, Zack Davis ’27 and Noah Stewart ’26 — who presented the poster project. And the students involved in the larger project collecting data: Lola Buckner ’27, Camryn Crosby ’26, Jacqueline D'Lamater ’26, Tyler Gugino ’26, Cassie Morse ’26, Grace Anderson ’26 and Katie Mozak ’26.
Hope College created the Social Sciences Early Career Investigators Award to recognize and encourage early-career faculty to partner with students in research collaborations that further scholarship goals of faculty, while also developing students’ skills of critical inquiry and analysis.
Slone and her student’s names will be featured on a plaque located in the Dean’s Office lobby of Van Zoeren Hall. The award also includes a stipend for both student travel (for those students returning to campus in the Fall) and faculty travel to present their research project at a professional conference in the coming academic year.
“I'm honored to have this research considered and awarded, and am very grateful to the college and division for the generous travel stipends. I was very excited to share this news with my students,” said Slone.